Brussels retail revamp awaits Macquarie approval

Gavin Lipsith

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Brussels International Airport Co's plans to renovate its non-Schengen commercial area are on hold as new majority shareholder Macquarie Airports considers its options

Brussels International Airport Co (BIAC) has revealed plans to completely renovate the non-Schengen commercial area at Brussels Zaventem airport by April next year. The company is to explain its plans to new majority stakeholder Macquarie Airports tomorrow (November 23), and retail and catering manager Myriam Windey told RavenFox.com she was hopeful that the group would be receptive to the plans.

The changes will include a complete modernisation of Belgian Sky Shops' (BSS) stores and For Leaders Only's electronics outlets, as well as moving the terminal's food and beverage offer from the mezzanine level to the centre of the ground floor retail area. BSS made preparations for the revamp between November 5 and 25, said Windey, leaving the stores relatively intact over the busy Christmas holiday period. The renovations will commence immediately after the holiday season, with the aim of completing changes in time for Easter traffic.

But Windey said that, as yet, she did not know what approach Macquarie would adopt towards commercial operations. "I think of the bidders, they are the best fit for us commercially, and they seem like a dynamic group," she told RavenFox.com. "If you look at [Macquarie-operated] Sydney airport, for example, you can feel the importance of commercial activity throughout the airport, so I am confident they will be supportive of our plans. But as always when there is a change of owner you have to put things on hold until they come to a decision on how to move forward."

Windey added that the airport had begun preparations for the revamp in November as it is traditionally a slow month for traffic in Belgium, with several bank holidays disrupting business travel. She said that, for the year to date, sales were up about 4-5%, reflecting the strength of the euro against the US dollar as well the absence of important international destinations served from Brussels airport.

"If our plans for the non-Schengen area are approved by the new owners, we should see a dramatic increase in turnover through growing penetration next year," she added.